Superman Returns: Where Do We Go From Here?
by Geeked Out 675
Summary: Immediately following the events of Superman Returns, Clark/Superman and Lois work on finding their place as co-parents to Jason. Both are forced to find balance between parenting a special child while accepting the fact that Clark/Superman can't always be around. Lex Luthor is out there and surely up to no good, knowing that Jason is likely the child of The Man of Steel.
1. Chapter 1

And just like that, he was gone. He disappeared into the endless starry sky with the graceful exit that only Superman could accomplish. For a moment, Lois Lane found her mind drifting toward the past. The mind and heart do this funny thing at times, where you forget the heartache. You forget the pain. All that remains are the happy memories, the laughter and the love. She was in that place... for a moment.

She blinked herself back to reality and spun on her heel to face her son who appeared to be in a similar trance as he gazed out of his bedroom window into the night sky. She raised an eyebrow and grinned before he retreated into his bedroom with a giggle. She secured her robe around her chilled body and made her way back into her home. Knowing that he was well made the notion of sleep a possible one. After tucking Jason in one final time for the evening, she tiptoed into bed, where Richard White lay, sound asleep. It was time to reach out for help to get her life back on track and with the help of a certain billionaire extraordinaire, that's exactly what she'd do.

Superman quietly slipped into the same elevator shaft he had broken through only hours earlier during his quest to rescue Lois and Jason. He found his suit, coat and shoes laying atop of the lift where they'd eventually come to rest after a lengthy decent. It was a wonder they hadn't been shredded after his quick transition from mild-mannered reporter to superhero. After scooping them up, he lowered himself into the elevator car and performed a quick change. He pressed the button to the floor of the Daily Planet bullpen after composing himself. His appearance had to very Clark-like. He wasn't sloppy or disheveled but he also wasn't "super". He adjusted his glasses and placed a goofy, grin on his lips as the elevator doors opened.

He stepped off the lift and did a quick scan of his surrounding area, ascertaining his privacy. An elderly man operating the floor shiner briefly glanced Clark's way but didn't bother to acknowledge his presence. Clark offered his customary goofy smile and wave in hopes of making a new friend but the gentleman didn't look up. Clark's shoulders dropped with a slight head shake and he resumed his short trek to the bullpen and finally to the supply closet where his suitcase was hidden. _I've got to get a place of my own_ , he thought as he released the latches to case. He knew that he'd be in a pickle if someone stumbled onto the spare suit he had tucked away in the case's secret compartment. He changed into a fresh set of clothes and made his way to his desk. Let the apartment hunt begin,he thought to himself. He needed to get that important detail squared away before laying down the roots he once only dreamed of. He had a son. A beautiful, happy, bright eyed son. He felt a smile form against his lips at the thought of Jason and closed his eyes as he honed his sense of hearing on the young boy's heartbeat. He could tell he was sound asleep once more. "Sweet dreams, my son", he whispered softly with a widening grin. He slowly opened his eyes and resumed his search until the wee hours of the morning; until he found what he was looking for. Home sweet home.


	2. Chapter 2

All things considered, Richard White was in particularly high spirits. "All things considered" meaning he was likely losing the love of his life in the not too distant future. He'd been there for Lois since the early days of her pregnancy. Jason wasn't his biological son but he was his, nonetheless. From what he could remember, Lois didn't speak much about Jason's biological father. Only that he was out there somewhere, had no idea that Jason existed and she wasn't sure when or even if he'd ever be back. Richard was that guy. He was the guy that every woman dreamed of landing. Tall, handsome and accomplished; he was a catch by any standard but he was no Superman. Still though, he was the guy that would step up and help raise a child that wasn't his, without a second thought.

He was oddly confident when it came to the Man of Steel. He never felt the need to compete with him. He knew very little of his and Lois' history; only what he'd heard from word of mouth and he was far too sensible to put any value in office gossip. He tried on a few occasions to pry into their past but it only infuriated Lois and led to an argument. His most recent attempt, shortly after Superman's return, proved to be equally as unsuccessful as the previous ones.

He stood in his office doorway, examining his fiancé while she was hard at work at her desk. What is going on inside her beautiful mind, he wondered. An answer he knew he'd never get but constantly weighed on him. He always felt she was holding just the tiniest part of herself back from him and though unsettling at times, he'd learned to live with it for the most part. He bit his lip and sighed heavily before returning to his chair with a somewhat defeated plop. Whether he liked it or not, things had suddenly changed all around. Superman was back and though Lois fought tooth and nail to embrace that, circumstances had pushed them closer than what made him comfortable. Maybe now he would have to compete with Superman, but where would he start? He was no match in strength and for crying out loud, he needed a contraption to fly. He rolled his eyes at his own thoughts and forced himself to be free of them. This wasn't the time to suddenly develop an insecurity about his relationship with Lois.

Lois felt the weight of Richard's stare and she read through that morning's emails. She knew he had questions and she'd successfully evaded them or put off giving answers up until that point. He wanted more. He wanted to marry her. He wanted a life together, but all she wanted was to get back to the life she had before him. She needed help. The situation was delicate and had to be handled with the utmost of care. The last thing she needed was him flying off the handle. He'd hurt someone, she was certain of it and the worst part of it was, he wouldn't know how. He wasn't who he thought he was.

She peered up from time to time to see if Clark had made it in the office. She knew his deepest secret. She'd always known; even when he thought he had kissed it away. She was still angry with him for a number of reasons. He disappeared without saying goodbye and with no explanation which left her alone and worried about him. She was terrified that something awful had happened to him. Before that, he tried taking her memory from her but it wasn't fully successful. She'd forgotten for a short time but her heart longed for him and soon, those feelings overpowered the mental block he'd imposed on her. She knew this wasn't the time to be angry. She needed to cast it aside in order to accomplish her short list of critically important goals: To get her life back on track, raise her son to be responsible with his new-found abilities and most importantly, to find Lex Luthor. He was out there and he was a force to be reckoned with. If he wasn't found, nothing else mattered. She was sure that getting his hands on Jason would be his number one priority.

Soon, Perry White popped his head out of his office and beckoned for Richard. She sighed in relief, knowing he was no longer watching her. She hoped that Perry would keep him busy with an in-depth assignment for at least the next day or so. Once she had Clark on board, it was only a matter of getting he and an old friend of his together to help Richard along.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Clark enter the bullpen, looking none worse for the wear. She couldn't help but smile, seeing that he was okay. He was alive and breathing which was a complete 180 from where he was just over twelve hours before. She gently bit at her nail for a moment, mustering courage for her next move. This was it. This is where she was going to lay it all out. Was this the right place for it? It wasn't going to get easier, anywhere else. She was away from Jason's prying ears and Richard was deep in conversation with Perry.

Clark noticed her lingering gaze and waved somewhat tiredly, her way. He felt her stare from the moment he walked into the newsroom but didn't make it obvious. She never noticed him before. Superman was always the one who caught her attention, when entering the vicinity. He noticed her glance at Richard and Perry before heading toward a secured conference room. This one in particular had no windows and was designed for more confidential meetings. She pointed her finger to the room, motioning for him to join her before entering. _This is odd_ , he thought as he stood up from his desk and straightened his coat. He took a deep breath and met her in the room, not having a single clue as to what was about to happen next.

With her back to him, she stared blankly at the clean whiteboard in front of her, as though she were trying see through it. Clearly, she was gathering her thoughts. She jumped slightly when she heard his voice call her name. "Lois?", he said softly. "Is everything ok?" She quickly turned her body and smiled, gently. "Not just yet, but I think it will be. At least... I hope it will be." She said. With that, Clark shut the conference room door behind him and it was just the two of them alone. Finally.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning sun beat down mercilessly onto his shiny, bald head. He sat with his rear in the sand, staring coldly into the virtually infinite blue sea. His nearly perfect plan had been foiled by both the Man of Steel and his trusted companion. "Bitch", Lex Luthor grumbled under his breath. If it weren't for Kitty Kowalski, he'd still be in possession of the Kryptonian crystals. For him, Kryptonite wasn't hard to come by but those crystals were priceless. Now, they were likely floating aimlessly in the heavens above on the abandoned land mass he'd created. Kitty was futilely trying to start a fire using dried twigs and sticks. She was no Girl Scout, rather she was privileged and well taken care of. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't start a fire if her life depended on it and in this case, it did. Lex rolled his eyes as he watched her fumble with sticks and twigs. "Idiot", he snarled coldly, returning his gaze to the open sea, watching and waiting.

Kitty knew that she was in for it and it was only a matter of time. She was as good as dead if Luthor had his way and he probably would. She felt her best chance would be to make herself useful but she was failing miserably. She sighed and dropped her head back in defeat, momentarily allowing her face to soak up the morning sun before resuming her task. She heard a victorious shout come from Lex's direction and turned to see him rapidly approaching her. "See that?!" He barked, pointing toward the ocean. She placed a hand over her brows, shading her eyes from the sun while focusing on the tiny object in the distance. It was a boat but from her perspective, it looked as though it was a toy in a bathtub. "How are we going to signal them, Lex?" She asked, her voice making his skin almost literally crawl. "With a signal fire, of course", he sneered. "Now, take off your dress. I need kindling for a signal fire and you'll be nice bait for whomever is on that boat." he added, darkly. Kitty gulped, knowing that needed to cooperate if she wanted to live. After she undressed, Luthor ripped one of the fluid lines of the chopper and doused the garment. "We'll save this one for later", he stated, handing her the dress. He retrieved a lighter from his coat pocket, lit a cigar and barked for Kitty to stand back. After enjoying the cigar for a moment, he flicked the stogie toward the leaking fluid line and stepped back, himself. Shortly thereafter, there was a loud boom as the chopper erupted into flames. Now, he waited and hoped that the boat saw the smoke.


	4. Chapter 4

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity to Clark. He was absolutely clueless as to why Lois wanted to speak with him. He gave her his normal, cheesy grin while pushing up his glasses with his index finger. She clasped her hands nervously and took an awkward step toward him, still not sure of how to begin. She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to kick herself into action. _You can do this_. She thought, giving herself a pep talk before staring longingly into his eyes. "Oh to the hell with it!", she said, taking one final step toward him before throwing her arms around his neck, and holding him close. If he had been human, she likely would have knocked him over.

He stood there, shocked and frozen, unsure of what he should do. _Does she remember? Is this her way of telling me that she remembers everything?_ He wondered, with his arms resting clumsily at his side, unsure of what to do or say. "Hug me back, Clark." She said with a soft laugh, knowing that she'd confused him to no end. He did as she instructed, and gently wrapped his arms around her, as he'd done so many years ago. In an instant, his mind was flooded with memories and his heart with love, joy and sorrow. The last time he held her like this, he kissed away her pain; or so he thought.

"Lois" he said, after some time, slowly breaking their embrace but allowing his hands to remain connected at the small of her back. She looked into his crystal blue eyes for a moment before carefully removing the spectacles that provided the secret identity that allowed him to live a "normal" life, when circumstances permitted. She gently placed the glasses on the conference table and held his face in her hands for a moment before allowing them onto drop his shoulders. "Hi. ", she said with a smile. His eyes widened. If anyone could take his breath away, it was her. With all of his _super_ abilities, he didn't see this coming. "Hi." he responded sheepishly, with a raised brow.

She took a deep breath and a step back, retrieving his glasses from the table and extended her arm, offering them to him. If he didn't know better, he would have thought there was Kryptonite nearby. He felt his pulse race and suddenly became uncomfortably warm under the collar. That's the power that this woman had over him. He didn't need a lethal green crystal to bring him to his knees. She could do it with the warmth of her smile and the word "Hi".

He took the glasses from her hand and placed them upon his face once more on the off chance that someone might barge in. "Sorry.", she offered. "I know that was a bit out of left field." She added, with a nervous chuckle. "A bit." he said, rubbing the back of his head with an equally nervous laugh, resting his backside carefully against the conference table. "You look a lot a better.", she said with a gentle tilt of her head. Suddenly she felt awkward. Had she made a mistake in coming out with it the way she did? "I..." She started, fumbling her words. He immediately heard her racing heartbeat and took her hand in his reassuringly, offering it a gentle stroke. "I do. Thank you. Thank you for coming to my rescue. That was a first!" He added, with a more relaxed laugh. She sighed with relief and smiled widely.

"I suppose we need to talk." He said, straightening his posture and crossing his feet at the ankle, placing more of his body weight against the table. "Yes, we do" she said, taking her place next to him. "I know all of this is very sudden" she added, waving her hand in the air. "I just needed to start the conversation before I lost my nerve and while Jason wasn't around." Clark's smile grew proudly when she mentioned his name. It was still surreal. He was a father. He never imagined he'd be father; never thought it was a possibility. "But before we do that, I need your help with something. That's a big part of the reason why I approached you here." she said, now pacing back and forth in front of him. "You see, a friend of yours felt compelled to look after me when word got out that I was pregnant." She didn't immediately notice it but Clark's face dropped. He had missed the entire experience. When he first met Jason, he imagined how beautiful she must have looked with a growing, pregnant belly. He found himself wondering if she had odd food cravings or leg cramps at night. Was it a pleasant pregnancy? Did she have morning sickness? He grew sad for a moment, feeling robbed of opportunity to make late night food runs or massage her weary calves. But this wasn't the time to dwell. She took a big step forward in bringing things out into the open so she could enlist his help and it was time to give her his undivided attention.

"You see, Richard White, isn't really Richard White." She said, making quick eye contact to monitor his attentiveness to the conversation. If she didn't have his attention before, she sure as hell did now. "What?!" He asked, even more confused. She thrust a finger into the air. "Give me a minute, I'm getting there." She nodded. "I've been working on this speech all night", she admitted. Clark chuckled softly, gesturing with his hand. "Please, continue." With a grin, she continued her rhythmic pace, explaining how Bruce Wayne honored Clark's request to look after her in his absence. He didn't want him grossly interfering in her life, but he did want him to make sure she was safe. He bought a large share of the Daily Planet which provided him easy access to bullpen, including the workplace rumor mill. Once word got out that Lois was pregnant, he immediately reached out to her, offering his protection and naturally she wanted nothing to do with it.

"I was really reluctant to accept his help." she stated. "I was angry, alone and worse, hormonal." she added. "Thankfully, Bruce talked some sense into me by assuring me that once word got out that I was pregnant, your enemies would be after me and the baby." She stopped dead in her tracks. "Just like you always said they would." She added softly, dropping her head slightly. She took a deep breath and continued her story and her pacing. "So I did what any other rational person would do and accepted his help." Clark nodded, trying to process the overflow of information he was getting. He stood upright and folded his arms, in deep thought. "Okay", he said. "But I'm not understanding how Richard is connected to all of this." She stopped pacing and mentally kicked herself. "Right.", she added. "Well, "Richard"", she added with air quotes, "was assigned by Bruce to protect me until a time came when he was no longer needed." She paused, allowing him to digest the conversation before moving on to the "good stuff". "The problem is, a few days ago, he bought his own cover. He thinks he's actually engaged to me. We're not engaged! That's why we haven't set a date." She ranted, getting a little carried away. "Lois." Clark interrupted, gently grasping her arm and stopping her pace. "If he isn't Richard White, then who is he?" he asked, calmly, hoping to instill the same calm within her "Oh..." she said, composing herself after her incessant babbling. "He's J'onn J'onzz" she added, nonchalantly. "J'onn J'onzz?!" Clark added, nearly levitating, in shock. "Yes", she said. "Bruce wanted to ensure that we'd be safe and who better take on the role of our protector than someone with superhuman strength that could blend in with humanity?"

Clark's jaw dropped in utter astonishment. Once again, Lois allowed him a few moments to process and digest what he was being told. He let out a deep breath with a nod while scratching his chin. "So if J'onn J'onzz is assuming the identity of Richard White, then where is the real Richard White? He's Perry's nephew. It's not like Bruce imagined him out of thin air." He asked. Lois shrugged. "That, I don't know. What I do know is that he works for Bruce Wayne. I assume there's a high level of mutual trust between the two if Richard allowed us to borrow his identity all this time." Clark nodded in agreement and continued to put the pieces together. "So what happened to J'onn? Why did he 'buy his own cover', as you put it?", he asked. Lois perked up, finally getting to the point of the story. "Yes. That's where I need your help. A few days ago an obnoxious little man, imp... something showed up and began to harass J'onn. I think he was looking for you. J'onn told him you had gone away and that he wasn't sure when you'd return." She took a breath, becoming slightly annoyed. "Then the little twerp cast some sort of... spell on him and made him truly believe he was Richard White." She shrugged before continuing. "I guess he thought J'onn was lying and thought doing what he did would flush you out." Clark remained in deep thought for a moment before putting it all together. _Little man. Imp. Magic._ "Mxyzptlk!" he said, finally connecting the dots. Lois shrugged and responded. "I guess. I didn't catch his name. All I know is they were together for a short while before J'onn became disoriented. When he cleared up, he thought he was Richard White and has been that way ever since."

Clark was impressed. Bruce Wayne came through for him. They had their differences in the past and at most, he hoped that his friend would check up on her from time to time. He did more than that. Bruce protected his family. Clark would forever be in his debt. He quickly snapped out of his thoughts and gently placed his hands on Lois' shoulders. "I'll do everything in my power to help you and J'onn. What's our next move?" She smiled and raised a brow. "How would you feel about a trip to Gotham?"


	5. Chapter 5

Lex Luthor held Kitty close in one of the common areas of the Coast Guard vessel that was radioed in to rescue them. Kitty shivered under a blanket that was provided to her. He gave the ship's captain the last name of "Vanderworth" and played the role of the doting significant other to Kitty. He needed to play it cool and keep his head low if he was going to keep from being recognized. Kitty let out a small burst of genuine tears, terrified of what Lex was going to do to her as punishment for her transgressions. "There, there", he said as genuinely as he could muster. There was a chill in his voice that she'd come to know all too well. This was far from being over. The security chief and ship's doctor entered the area with a small meal for each and a binder. Lex was ready to present his carefully planned story to the chief. With any luck, they'd be in Metropolis within a few hours.

Lois and Clark returned to their desks where she worked out the final details of their plan. She looked over at Perry and Richard who looked like they were wrapping up their conversation. She grabbed her notepad and burst into Perry White's office."Chief", she shouted, interrupting the pair's conversation. Perry shot Richard an annoyed look and rolled his eyes before giving Lois his attention. Though she was his best reporter, at times he grew tired of her demanding nature. "What is it, Lois?" He said, exasperated. "It's an interview with Bruce Wayne regarding the financial foothold he's establishing in Metropolis.", she said with a smug grin, knowing he'd lick his chops over such a juicy story. "Go!", he said. As she grabbed Richard's hand, yanking him toward the exit. "I'm already on it." She said, halfway through the door. "And take Kent with you!" He said, placing his hands on his hips, in an authoritative fashion. "I'm already on it!" She shouted, from across the bullpen, with Clark in tow. He watched the trio disappear into the corridor, toward the elevators. He retreated into his office and closed the door, finally getting a moment of peace.

After making their way up to the Daily Planet's helipad, Richard took his place aboard the Wayne Enterprise helicopter, next to his fiancé. He loved her as long as he could remember although he wasn't exactly sure of how long that really was. Every memory is his brain was a farce; a lie conjured up by a mischievous imp, just for kicks. She seemed out of sorts since the Man of Steel's return. He wondered if Superman's return to earth invoked feelings of anger or love. He prayed it wasn't the latter. It wasn't uncommon for men to battle for the affections of a woman. This was one battle he wasn't certain he'd win. Superman could effortlessly defy gravity and bend steel in his bare hands. Richard knew he couldn't compete with that, no matter how hard he tried. He blinked himself out of his thoughts and stared at her as she gazed out of the window near her seat. Lois could feel Richard's eyes burn through the back of her head. Her body was slightly twisted away from him, as to avoid any sort of intimate gestures such as hand holding or the occasional placement of his and her knee. She couldn't wait for the man she knew as J'onn J'onzz to have his memory back. She did everything she could to prevent him from doing something he'd later be embarrassed for. She felt his hand rest on her shoulder and stifled a shudder as she turned to him, and offered an awkward smile. She glanced at Clark with a needing in her eyes for a distraction and returned her attention to the skyline of Metropolis. She'd seen it several times before but from a very different vantage point. There really was nothing quite like feeling the wind from flight, breeze across her skin. She'd flown with Superman more times than she could count and nothing could compare.

Clark observed the two from his seat across the cabin. He could sense Lois's discomfort but also Richard's confusion as to why his fiancé was so distant from him. His eyes dropped for a moment, feeling bad for the guy. Through none of what he was feeling was real, it was real for Richard in this moment. Using his heightened vision, he noticed a spire from one of Gotham's tallest towers, in the distance. In his goofiest, Clark voice he began spouting off statistics about said tower including, the hours of construction, age, height, companies who rented space for their businesses as well as efforts to get it listed as a protected landmark. Lois and Richard both looked at Clark with their heads cocked to the side, toward one another with their mouths slightly opened. Clark pulled a Guinness book out of coat pocket and pointed to it excitedly. "I've been reading!", he offered, providing an explanation for the random onslaught of factoids. Richard's jaw snapped shut and he blinked with a shrug. "Well, alright then." He said, shaking off confusion. Clark stretched his neck, peering out the window. "Hey. What do you know. We're almost there." He said, as they soared through the skies above Gotham. Moments later, they gently touched down onto a small helipad behind Wayne Manor.


	6. Chapter 6

They touched down on the landing pad adjacent to a beautiful garden on the backside of Wayne Manor. Plots of Wild Flowers and Daisies lined the pathways up toward the back entrance of the large estate. An elderly man gently trimmed a nearby shrub, paying no attention to the trio as they approached the entrance. "Good thing he's not a security guard", Richard mused as he scurried in front of Lois to do the gentlemanly thing and gesture her through the doorway. "Ladies first" he said with a polite grin. "Thank you", Lois responded, gently clearing her throat before proceeding to the foyer. Richard followed closely behind her, leading her in with his palm against the small of her back. Lois twitched her body at the feeling of his touch. "Tickles" she offered a bit awkwardly, finding it more and more difficult to be in close proximity to him. Clark stifled a snicker at the gesture. " _Oh, old friend."_ He thought. " _We're going to laugh at this, one day."_ He shook his head softly and followed the pair in.

Alfred Pennyworth warmly greeted them with a nod to both Clark and Richard and a la bise to Lois. She pulled away with smile. "Hello, Alfred." Clark's eyes widened slightly, in surprise at their familiarity to one another. Lois continued on alongside Alfred, giving him the latest and greatest on Jason. He guessed that in looking after Lois and Jason, they had become somewhat familiar faces around Wayne Manor. He smiled, once again feeling grateful that Bruce truly looked after her in his absence.

Alfred led them into an office where Bruce Wayne sat, speaking quietly to a beautiful woman. Her hair was conservatively pulled back into a ponytail and her hands lay gracefully in her lap, with one ankle tucked gently behind the other. The two appeared to be having an in depth conversation. Alfred cleared his throat. "Mr. Wayne. Miss Lane, Mr. White and Mr. Kent are here to see you." The pair stood up quickly and Bruce thanked Alfred and dismissed him. Clark raised an eyebrow at the presence of the woman. _"Why all the heavy reinforcements?_ " He thought. " _It's just Mxyzptlk."_ The woman extended her hand to Lois. "Hi. I think we've met before. I'm Diana Prince." Lois took the woman's hand and firmly shook it. "Yes, I think met a few months back at the Wayne Foundation benefit." She offered with a smile and nod. Bruce stepped over and too greeted Lois with a friendly kiss to the cheek and hug. "Hi Lois", he said giving her a quick hug. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind giving us a few minutes." He said as he led her to the door. "Don't worry" he whispered, as he opened the door. "We've got this". She nodded, made quick eye contact with Clark and stepped outside of the office. She sighed softly as she sunk into a nearby armchair and briefly closed her eyes, carefully resting her fingertips against her forehead. _"Here we go",_ she thought.

* * *

After satisfying the Captain's curiosity and answering A barrage of questions, Lex Luther and Kitty were taken to the Port of Metropolis, where they were free to go about their day. One after the other, they stepped onto the dock while members of the crew shuffled around them. Kitty eyeballed her surroundings, hoping to make a quick getaway. Very near to her was a small boat that was being prepped to depart. If she could just make it onto it, she knew she'd be free and clear. The crew of their rescuing ship began loading and unloading items, offering Kitty the distraction needed to sneak away. As the commotion of the crew activity provide distance from Lex, she inched her way toward the smaller boat.

Lex could see her out of the corner of his eye. Though her betrayal freshly stung him, he still had a much bigger fish to fry. Somehow, after being impaled with Kryptonite, Superman managed to escape and foil his plot. He raised his eyes to the sky, making sure not to expose his face; as though he could be easily detected by the Man of Steel and softly cursed the heavens. "I'm going to find you.", he grumbled. "And when I do, I'll drive it in even further, you alien son of a..." he paused, taking a breath and regaining his composure. They were still in the open, in a position to be easily apprehended by police. No. This definitely wasn't the time to lose it. A plan quickly formed in his devious mind and he smirked. "The kid...", he snarled, before a sinister grin spread across his lips. He turned his head toward Kitty and quickly caught on to plan. Just as she was about to make her final move to the small craft, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward him, feigning concern. "My darling, you almost fell into the water. You should be more careful." He said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to his side. Kitty swallowed hard and nodded before being led off the dock and into a cab. "Vanderworth", he said to the driver. He turned to Kitty with a smug grin. "We've got some planning to do, darling."


	7. Chapter 7

Clark, Bruce, Diana and Richard stood across from one another in Bruce's office. Clark pulled a copy of the Daily Planet from his coat pocket and set it down onto the desk. Richard stood there in confusion, wondering why Lois had been asked to leave. He opened his mouth to speak before being cut off by Diana. "Ok, now what?" She asked, a slight air of exasperation to her tone. All but Richard kept their eyes peeled, searching the room carefully and quietly. "I don't know." Clark responded. "He usually just shows up when he wants to." No sooner did Clark say that than did Mxyzptlk appear, sitting Bruce Wayne's desk. "Miss me?" The imp squealed in delight, seeing Superman in his earthly disguise. "What's with the glasses, big guy? Oh. Oh. I get it. Your disguise.", he snickered as he circled his way around the desk. He picked up the copy of the Daily Planet that Clark had planted earlier and opened it. Clark pointed to it. "Hey Bruce. Did you see I got my first front page story since returning?" Bruce raised a brow. "Oh?" He asked in response. Mxyzlptlk grinned. "He did indeed! It says _So long Kltpzxym."_ His eyes widened before uttering "Damn" and disappearing into a poof of smoke.

Immediately, Richard's head snapped, coming back to reality. "What the?" He asked. "What are we all doing here?" He turned to Clark in surprise. "When did you get back?" He asked, having noticed that Bruce had opened the office door and motioned for Lois to come back. She popped her head in apprehensively, not quite knowing what to expect. "Is everything... back to normal?" She asked, feeling unsure. "Lois? What are you doing here?" J'onn asked, morphing back to his natural state. "Oh, thank God!" She exclaimed, fully entering the room. "I thought I was days away from white taffeta and a string quartette." She joked, now standing in front him. "You kept trying to get me to marry you!" J'onn's face twitched in confusion. "Come with me, I'll explain it all." Bruce laughed, patting the Martian on the back and gesturing toward a couch in the corner, with Diana following close by. Lois stood by Clark, pleasantly surprised as she saw that her interim protector was clearly back to being himself. "How did you do it?", she asked. Not yet taking her eyes off of J'onn. Clark smiled, following her gaze. "Tell you about it some time." He offered with a grin. She nodded, and peered down at her phone, silencing a preset alarm. "Oh, Jason." She whispered. "That's my hour reminder to pick him up from school." She said, tapping her phone and dismissing the alert. "Well then, I guess we should get going." Clark suggested, motioning toward the sky. Lois bit her lip and smiled, catching his drift. She wasn't sure if she was "there" yet with him. Sure, she was beyond thrilled that he was alive and well but there was always something so intimate about their time together in the sky. It was as though nobody else existed. It was always _just_ them. Clark noticed Lois' hesitation and tilted his head, in understanding. "Lois" he said, speaking softly. "It's ok. We can take the helicopter back." Her lips parted slightly, being at a loss for words. Part of her wanted to jump into his arms and take to the skies but the rational part knew they had a _lot_ of stuff to work through, first. Her parted lips formed into a smile as she signaled to Bruce that they had to leave. He nodded and locked eyes with Clark. The two friends smiled and nodded as well, knowing there would be some catching up to do. Clark looked down at Lois, and extended an arm, gesturing toward the door. "After you." He offered with the chivalrous gesture. Lois scrunched her shoulders with a laugh and the pair made their way back to the helipad. They both relaxed a little more and truly began to enjoy each other's company when Clark stopped dead in his tracks. He cringed slightly and his shoulders dropped. Lois cocked her head to the side in momentary confusion before the proverbial light bulb went off. She smiled proudly, gently nodding toward the blue sky above. "Go." She whispered, softly. Her voice effortlessly filled his ears. He shook his head softly and offered an apologetic smile. She laughed softly and entered the Wayne Enterprise helicopter. He stood there as the chopper's propellor spun, lifting its body into the clear blue sky. Clark stood there on the ground, seeing her off. His tie flapped in the wind as the chopper gained speed and propelled itself away. Moments later, she saw a familiar blue streak, mark the sky. "Go get em, tiger." She whispered, allowing her fingertips touch the glass of the chopper window. She adjusted herself in her seat, closed her eyes and enjoyed a peaceful trip back to Metropolis


	8. Chapter 8

With a final blow to the ribs, Clark woke up in his bed on the Kent Farm. He looked around to gain his bearings and eventually slowed his breathing. He looked out of his bedroom window and saw Earth's yellow sun peeking over the horizon. It was a new day. A new day for him to make things right. A new day to get to know the son he never knew he had. A new day for Lex Luthor to make his move. Clark felt his face grimace at the thought. "Jason..." he whispered, still trying to shake the dream.

Luthor's vague statement finally made sense when he heard Lois' voice as he slept and recovered. _"Jason is your son..."_ she had whispered, ever so softly, trying make sure Jason didn't hear her from the other side of the room. Initially Clark thought that it too was a dream but knew it to be true as he watched over the sleeping boy just a few nights before. Pride and a love that he never knew existed welled up inside of him as he studied the small boy's features. He saw bits of Joe-El and Lara along with bit of himself. Then of course, he saw bits of the woman he loved. All of it was wrapped up in a living, breathing child and suddenly, he recognized it as that special, unending love that a parent feels for its child. Clark's lips formed into a smile that almost hurt his face. He took a deep breath and got himself out of bed. "Let's get this day going." He said, without wasting another minute.

After a quick shower, Clark made his way downstairs to the Kent family kitchen where low and behold, Martha Kent was already up, making her son a much needed and deserved breakfast. He smiled as the scent of fresh coffee, eggs and bacon, filled his nostrils. Martha hummed softly as she carefully filled his cup with piping hot coffee. "Mom", Clark said softly, walking over to give her a hug. She returned the embrace as strongly as her elderly arms would allowed her. "I heard you come in, last night." She said, wiping a tear from her cheek. She had only had him back for a few days before almost losing him again. Clark heard her sniffle and pulled away. "I'm ok, Mom. It's ok." She met his gaze with a nod and smile and gestured toward the kitchen table. Clark returned the smile and pulled chair out for his mother. Martha sat down and took a sip of coffee. "You gave us all quite a scare" she said, placing a napkin on her lap. "I know. " Clark said, staring at her. Unbeknownst to her, he had been monitoring her breathing and heart rate, to make sure the stress of his near death experience hadn't taken its toll on her. Thankfully, she seemed no worse for the wear. "I had to stop him, Mom. No matter the personal cost. So many lives..." He said, his voice drifting off at the horrid thought of what almost was. "I know." she said, grabbing his hand instinctively, stroking it with her thumb. Clark smiled. "Believe it or not, Lois came to my rescue." He said, softly, chuckling at the thought with a shake of his head. With all of the times he dashed to her rescue, he never imagined he'd find himself in need of her rescuing him. He was beyond grateful for her help. Martha nodded, as she chewed her food. "Mmm.." she said, swallowing her toast. "That reminds me. I saw her outside of the hospital, in Metropolis." Clark nearly choked. "You were there?" He asked, in astonishment. Martha raised a brow, almost feeling insulted at Clark's reaction. "Clark, I'm no spring chicken but this girl still has a few good years left in her. Of course, I was there. Where else would I be?" She said. "I'm just glad they let someone in for a visit." Clark nodded in agreement. Lois' presence had inexplicable healing properties of its own. Though he was unconscious, he heard and felt everything. He heard her words about Jason, felt the warmth of her lips and felt the sweet kiss Jason placed upon his forehead as he slept. Clark felt a smile creep onto his lips, at the thought before snapping back to reality and the conversation with his mother. "Oh and she had the cutest little boy with her." Martha said, waving her hand in the air. "I'm assuming he's hers?" Martha asked, rising from her chair and walking over to the sink, placing her plate and fork inside. She flipped up the lever to the faucet, allowing the water to rinse away the debris from her dish. Turning the faucet off, she grabbed a towel and dried her hands. "I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. When did Lois Lane become a mother?" She asked, looking at her son who was now nose deep into his coffee. He blinked and pulled the empty mug away from his lips and smiled sheepishly at his mother. He took a moment and cleared his throat before speaking. "About five years ago." He said, making eye contact and then studying her face carefully. Martha's expression turned from a soft smile to utter shock as she quickly connected the dots and gasped before fainting. "Mom!" Clark shouted, catching her frail body before she hit the floor. Clark cringed slightly as he scooped the old woman up into his arms and carried her over to a sofa in the next room. Martha came to as he gently laid her down. "Mom..." he said, his voice filled with deep concern. Martha quickly came to but with some initial confusion. "What...?" She asked, seeing his concerned expression. She looked around for a moment before it all struck her like a lightning bolt. Her head snapped back to meet Clark's gaze and her eyes shot wide open. "I'm a grandmother!"

Kitty Kowalski awoke in her room in the Vanderworth estate. She stared blankly at the ceiling trying to determine if she should make another run for it or try to get back into Lex Luthor's good graces. She turned her face to the bedroom door, wondering what waited for her on the other side. She closed her eyes tightly and sighed. She knew she was screwed, either way. Luthor wasn't a particularly forgiving individual as he demonstrated by shanking Superman with a long shard of Kryptonite. She had to escape. It was her only chance. Luthor would only keep her alive as long as she was still an active role in his plot. After that, she was good as dead. As much as she wanted to know what that role was, she also wanted to keep her distance and avoid contact as long as possible. She pulled the covers over her head as she pondered what Luthor's next move might be. "The kid!" She gasped, throwing the covers from her body and bolting upright in her bed.


	9. Chapter 9

Clark quietly entered the Daily Planet bullpen and set his things down on his desk as he searched the room for Lois. With no sign of her, he nonchalantly walked over to her desk to scan for clues as to her whereabouts. Wherever she was, she left her phone behind which sent up a red flag. Her phone beeped, revealing a series of messages on the home screen with one of them saying _"Roof in 5"_. There was only a number, no name associated with the message. Maybe she was meeting with a source? But what source would want to meet with her on the rooftop of the Daily Planet? He looked up toward the ceiling, peering through floor after floor with his X-ray vision until he locked his sight on her. She didn't appear to be in any immediate danger but he didn't have a full view of her surroundings thanks to the partial lead composition of the building. He didn't want to bust in and make a scene but he also didn't want to run the risk of her getting hurt, knowing that Lex Luthor was out there and had an axe to grind. He pondered for a moment, switching his gaze back and forth from the window of the Daily Planet, to the elevators. In which persona would he approach this? What's more, should he at all? Was it even his place? He closed his eyes and exhaled softly. With the risk being so high, he felt it better to act know and apologize later, if needed.

He quickly walked toward the double doors of the bullpen and then toward the elevators. He paused his approach and bit the inside of his cheek in thought, now taking into consideration that the stairs might actually be faster. He altered his course for the stairwell and disappeared behind its heavy, fire door. He looked up inside of the well, wondering if he should just fly up. It was only 15 flights up, but he worried that someone might see him. With a mental nod, he marched his way up the stairs. One-by-one, at first and then eventually increasing his stride to two-by-two and then to three-by-three. Before he knew it, he had already scaled ten floors. Just as he was about to increase to four-by-four, the door to the next floor flung open and a woman entered, seeing Clark effortlessly scale the steps by three's. Her jaw dropped in amazement. Clark smiled at her and passed her, without missing a beat. "Just getting my cardio in!" He said, from the level above. She nodded with her jaw still dropped and quickly snapped herself out of her own disbelief before going on her way.

Clark reached the door to the roof but was hesitant to walk through. He paused as he placed his hand on the knob and sighed before twisting it. He gained his composure, opened the door and saw Lois take a step back as she watched an older man enter the military helicopter that was preparing for takeoff from the Daily Planet's helipad. Puzzled, he slowly made his way to her side as the propellor blades of the chopper whirled quickly, allowing it to ascend into the morning sky. "Lois!" Clark shouted, trying to compete with the noise of the helicopter. She turned around, with her hand over her eyes, blocking out the morning sun. "What are you...?" She said, not finishing her thought. He smiled sheepishly and looked down, noticing she was holding something, wrapped in a soft cloth. Lois turned back around and offered the passenger of the helicopter a final wave goodbye before grabbing Clark's arm, tugging him toward the rooftop door. The pair quickly made their way toward the elevator. "Lois.." Clark began before she interrupted him. "Shhhh." She said. "Not here." she added, as she pulled him onto the elevator. Clark nodded blankly, entered the lift and pushed the button for the floor of the bullpen. He opened his mouth to ask a question and she merely responded by closing her eyes and shaking her head. Getting the proverbial message, he stood there in silence, wondering what was wrapped in the cloth that she clutched snuggly to her body. He could have stolen a glance with his X-ray vision but he figured he'd invaded her privacy enough for the day.

The ding of the elevator that indicated they had reached their destination snapped Clark out of his thoughts. The door opened and he gestured with his hand as if to say "ladies first". Lois quickly rushed by him, making her way into the bullpen and finally into the secured conference room. Clark followed her in and let out a slight sigh of exasperation. "Lois. What's going on? Who was that man?" He asked, wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery. He closed the door and turned to see her offering the cloth and its mysterious contents to him. "My Dad." She said, carefully placing the cloth in his hands. A familiar clinking sound filled the room and Clark's mouth dropped in disbelief as he carefully but quickly unwrapped the cloth, revealing the crystals that Lex Luthor had stolen from the Fortress of Solitude. "He wanted you to have those." She added, a smile forming on her lips. "Lois..." he whispered in disbelief. "How..." he added, too shocked to form a complete sentence.

She took a few steps closer to him, taking a closer look herself, at the beautiful crystals. She paused her admiration of their endless facets and locked eyes with Clark. "The President ordered an immediate mission to study the landmass that you launched into space. Dad said astronauts found those during a space walk. After they deemed they weren't naturally derived from Earth, they assumed they were yours." She offered with a shrug as she folded them back up in the cloth as he held them. Clark blinked himself out of shock and stammered. "Please. Thank him. This is everything. I was so worried that I'd have nothing to show Jason, one day..." he said, his voice trailing off, wondering if he said too much or overstepped. They still hadn't had _that_ conversation. He momentarily studied her body language to gauge her thoughts. She took a step back. "No. You're right. He should know about those and about his Kryptonian heritage. Just.." she said, her voice now trailing off. "Not yet.." Clark offered, finishing her sentence, in both understanding and agreeing. She looked at him with a half shrug and something of a wince. "I don't know." she said, waving a hand in the air. "We'll have to figure that part out." She added, taking another step back, feeling awkward. "Yes." Clark said, sensing her uneasiness and mustering a comforting smile. He quickly gathered his composure and clutched the wrapped crystals. "I'm going to take these back and make sure they can't be taken again. Can we talk later?" He asked, unsure of the answer. Lois wasn't sure if he meant _talk_ in general or have _THE_ talk. She knew it needed to happen. Might as well rip off the bandaid and get it over with, right? "Lois?" Clark asked, after a few moments. She'd gotten lost in thought without realizing it. "Uhh yeah..." she said, snapping back to reality with a smile. "Sure. Come by tonight. Maybe after I get Jason to bed." She said, with a firm nod. "Ok." He said and allowed a moment to pass before continuing. "Lois. Thank you for bringing these to me." The pair exchanged smiles one last time before Clark left and presumably headed for his Fortress. Lois exhaled audibly and allowed her body to plop into one of the conference room chairs.


End file.
